Perfectionism to Perfecting Grace

Do not allow such a damaging thing such as perfectionism distract you from the Saviors love and mercy.

Have you ever felt pressure or inadequacy when you continue to fall short? That the more you try to keep the Saviors commandments you just can't seem to do it "perfectly" and that gap you once saw between you and Christ has become a canyon that seems impossible to cross. especially when you open your scriptures and read those daunting words from the Saviors sermon on the mount, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Surely you feel the pressure, and you begin to fall into Satan's carefully crafted trap. The trap of Perfectionism.

Perfectionism is a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable. Your probably wondering "how is this a trap?" It begins when our personal achievements are tied to our self-worth. This causes us to do two things: We are unable to reach "perfection" therefore it's not worth tying and leave the path of discipleship, and we forget about the one thing that truly can make us perfect eventually, the Grace of Jesus Christ.

The problem with Perfectionism is how self-centered we can become in the process. "I can't live up to all that's expected", "I'll never be as perfect as that brother or sister", or worse "The Savior would never accept me how I am or where I am" Throughout all these examples the most important piece missing is the faith in Christ's Grace. It's not just that the struggling saint doesn't believe in the sacrifice of Christ, but that they are struggling to believe that such mercy can apply to them. Perfectionism blinds the faithful saint off the covenant path and down what the prophet Lehi describes as forbidden paths. Do not let you own short comings or even worse, your comparison to others let you think your worth less than the price that was paid for you to be redeemed through the grace of Christ.

The Grace and Atonement of Jesus Christ is a source of peace, power and healing which a disciple of Christ should never forget. Jesus Christ knows of our personal weakness, sickness, pains and afflictions. He is fully aware that we are incapable of becoming perfect in this life. Nevertheless, the He did what only a loving God could do; The Savior suffered in Gethsemane, died on Calvary, and broke the bands of death, bring to pass the universal resurrection. Through faith in Jesus Christs Atonement, we have the ability to align our wills with the Lords; this is called repentance.

Please remember that the Savior and our Father in Heaven love your effort. Commandments the Lord has given are not a means to expose our faults, but a means to help us follow the footsteps of the Master teacher. As we remember the price that was paid for us, have faith in the grace of Christ, repent, are baptized in his name, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and endure to the end, our hearts and minds can be released from the grips of perfectionism and rely more fully in Jesus Christ who is mighty to save.